4. Other medications
The downside of taking medication to treat one ailment is that it sometimes can have side effects that can cause you to develop another. Certain types of medications that are used to treat depression, cancer, gastric reflux, and seizures have been known to increase a patient’s chances of developing osteoporosis.
One commonly prescribed medication that comes with such a warning is Novartis‘ cancer drug Femara for the treatment of early-stage breast cancer. Based on its indications when it was approved in 2005, patients on Femara were about 42.5% more prone to fracturing than those on the placebo (5.7% versus 4%). Despite its various adverse effects, few if any of these side effects have had any effect on the overall sales of the drug.
5. Lifestyle choices
You know the old adages that you should “eat right,” “get out and exercise,” and “drink in moderation”? Well, this is one of those cases where your advice-givers were spot-on. People who live a relatively sedentary lifestyle, consume alcohol often, and use tobacco (smoking or chewing tobacco) are more susceptible to developing osteoporosis. Of the five risk factors, this is among the easiest to change.
Where we are right now in osteoporosis care
For those who can make certain lifestyle choices — including proper diet, exercise, and a moderation or elimination of tobacco or alcohol use — the probability of developing osteoporosis during their lifetime should be reduced. For others who are genetically predisposed to a higher risk of the disease, or already have the disease, medical improvements are needed.
There are a number of FDA-approved bone-strengthening/fracture-reducing medications available. The most commonly prescribed treatments are a drug class known as bisphosphonates. Warner Chilcott Plc (NASDAQ:WCRX)‘s Actonel belongs to this class of drug, which is often prescribed as a long-term solution to reducing bone depletion and fracturing. Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that over time, bisphosphonate usage can cause cracking of the thigh bone, as well as cause jaw bone cancer in rare cases. Warner Chilcott Plc (NASDAQ:WCRX) has needed to defend itself on multiple occasions in cases where Actonel has been alleged as a cause of death relating to jaw bone cancer.
For women, selective estrogen receptor modulators, or SERMs, are another possible option. One of the best-known SERM’s is Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE:LLY)‘s Evista, which actually serves the dual function in post-menopausal women of treating osteoporosis and reducing the risk of contracting invasive breast cancer. Through the first six months of 2013, Evista has brought in $519 million in sales, putting it once again on track to bring in about $1 billion in annual revenue.
If neither of these treatments can be tolerated (not everyone can handle taking bisphosphonates), Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN)‘s Prolia is another option for post-menopausal women. Designed to treat the thinning of bones, Prolia is given as an injection just twice a year for women at high risk for bone fractures. On paper, the prospect of just two shots a year sounds considerably more pleasant than taking pills year-round, but the side effects for Prolia can be just as unpleasant as, if not more unpleasant than, long-term bisphosphonate use, including the potential for hypocalcemia, severe allergic reactions and infections, jaw bone complications, and thigh bone fractures.
